Combination carrying case and protective hood



Sept. 27,1966 R. A. RUSH 3,275,106

COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND PROTECTIVE HOOD Filed June 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

EALPH A RUSH 22 22 Q'QTOENEYS p .1956 R. A. RUSH 3,275,106

COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND PROTECTIVE HOOD Filed June 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RALPH A. RUSH QTTOE EIVS United States Patent 3,275,106 COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND PROTECTIVE HOOD Ralph A. Rush, 22 Bernard Road, East Brunswick, NJ. Filed June 22, 1965, Ser. No. 465,852 9 Claims. (Cl. 1901) The present invention relates generally to combined carrying cases and wearing apparel and pertains, more specifically, to a carrying case convertible to a protective hood for the person.

Small carrying cases have found wide use among persons desiring to carry a variety of small articles when attending athletic events, picnics, beach parties or just traveling in general. On many such occasions it is often desirable to have available some protective garment and usually that garment is carried along either within the carrying case or separately. For example, in attending an athletic event such as a football game, it is desirable for :a spectator to take along a blanket, a cushion and perhaps some provisions, and a small carrying case could contain these items. If, during the athletic event, the spectator should encounter rain, excessive wind or other inclement weather conditions, it would be advantageous to have some protective. apparel readily available. I have found that a convenient protective garment can easily be made available for situations such as those outlined above by providing a carrying case which may be converted into a protective hood.

It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide acombination carrying case and protective hood for the person such that the carrying case is capable of containing a variety of small articles and is readily converted into a hood for protecting the person from wind, rain, sun and other elements of the weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination carrying case and protective hood having a maximum number of structural components which are common to both uses of the combination and a minimum amount of structure peculiar to only one of such uses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination carrying case and protective hood having a simplified construction capable of economical manufacture and ease of use.

The invention may be described briefly as a combination carrying case and protective hood for the person comprising a body including opposed panels of relatively flexible material, the panels having opposed longitudinal edges and opposed lateral edges interconnecting the longitudinal edges, opposed longitudinal sides interconnecting the panels along the longitudinal edges and opposed lateral sides interconnecting the panels along the lateral edges and interconnecting the longitudinal sides. An opening extends continuously along one longitudinal side, a portion of the opposite longitudinal side and an interconnecting lateral side, thereby leavingthe opposite lateral side and the remainder of the opposite longitudinal side intact such that the panels and the intersecting intact sides will establish the crown of the hood when the opening is open. Closure means are provided for selectively maintaining the opening closed.

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages will be made apparent in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combination carrying case and protective hood of the invention in the broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a front view showing the device of FIG- URE 1 applied to the person;

FIGURE 5 is a rear view of the device applied as in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing a modified form of the device;

FIGURE 7 is a front view of the device of FIGURE 6 applied to the person;

FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 3 showing another modified form of the device; and

FIGURE 9 is a front view of the device of FIGURE 8 applied to the person.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 3, a combination carrying case and protective hood is illustrated at 10 and is shown in the form of a carrying case having a generally parallelepiped body 12 including substantially rectangular opposed panels 14 spaced from one another, opposed longitudinal sides 16 and 18 interconnecting the panels along opposite longitudinal edges 20 and opposed lateral sides 22 and 24 interconnecting the panels along opposite lateral edges 26. i

An opening 28 extends continuously along longitudinal side 16, a portion of opposite longitudinal side 18 and along lateral side 22 between point A, which lies adjacent the intersection of sides 16 and 24, and point B, which lies in side 18 as will be described hereinafter. As explained above, device 10, when in the form of a carrying case, may be employed for carrying relatively small articles such as blankets, bathing suits, towels, provisions and the like. In such a configuration, closure means, shown in the form of slide fastener 30, are provided for selectively maintaining opening 28 closed. A pair of handles 32 completes the carrying case configuration of device 10.

The panels 14 and sides 16, 18, 22 and 24 are fabricated of a relatively flexible material which is ordinarily waterproof, where the hood is to be used as protection against rain, and opaque, where the hood is to be used as protection against sunlight. However, the choice of material need not be limited to waterproof materials or opaque materials and a variety of suitable materials will become apparent to one skilled in the art of materials. Suitable materials may be found among the variety of available synthetic resins, one such material being polyvinyl chloride.

When it is desired to employ device 10 as a protective hood, the slide fastener 30 is moved to an open position in order to fully open the opening 28 between points A and B. As best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the extent of opening 28 and the flexible nature of the material selected for the panels and sides of body 12 allow the device 10 to be placed over the head of the person in the form of a protective hood. In this instance, side 16 becomes the front of the hood, side 18 the rear, side 22 the bottom and side 24 the top.

Point B is'located so as to leave a portion of side 18 intact when the opening is completely open, and the intact portion of side 18 intersects with intact side 24 to establish a peak 34 in the hood. The portion of the opening which lies'in side 18 allows the hood to flare out toward the bottom such that portions of the panels 14 extending beyond point B toward the bottom will establish a skirt portion 36 in the hood, which skirt portion 36 will lie along the shoulders of the person wearing the hood while portions of panels 14 extending beyond point B'toward the top, or peak of the hood will establish the crown 38 of the hood. I have found that point B is advantageously located such that one-third of side 18 may be opened, leaving two-thirds of side 18 intact.

In order to maintain the hood in place upon the head of a person, securing means are provided as illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 6 through 9. As seen in FIG- URESZ, 3 and 4, the'securing means are provided in the form of a pair of strap members 40-fixed to the, interior of the'body 12 along-panels 14 at lines 41. Each strap has a configuration and location which enables the straps to pass across the chin of the wearer, as seen in FIGURE 4, and is provided with snap fastener elements" 42 which can be joined in mating relationship to securethe straps together and hold the hood in place over, the head of; the person."

An alternative securing means is illustrated in FIG- URES 6 and 7 wherein flaps 44 are shown fixed to the interior of body 12 along panels 14 at lines 45. Each flap 44 is provided with snap fastener elements 46 which when joined will secure the flaps together as seen in FIGURE 6. The flaps 44 each have a location and contour such that when they are attached to one another the flaps will establish a stock which protectively covers the entire area extending from upper edge 47 beneath the chin of the wearer to lower edge 48 across the shoulders while maintaining the hood in place over the head of the person.

Another alternative securing means is illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9 wherein draw-string assemblies 49 are fixed to the interior of body 12 along panels 14. Each draw-string assembly has a channel 50 with a string 52 passing therethrough. The strings 52 are anchored at their first respective ends 54 and are free at their second respective ends 56. The draw-string assemblies arelocated such that the strings 52 may be passed beneath the chin of the wearer, drawn together and tied to one another, as shown in FIGURE'9, in order to maintain and secure the hood in place over the head of the person. While the draw-string assemblies 49' are shown running from front to back of the hood, it is apparent that the assemblies could be oriented to run fromtop to bottom, as indicated in phantom at 49a in FIGURE 8, or at angles thereto.

- Thus, it is seen that a simplified construction employing a maximum number of common component parts of minimum complexity can serve as a combination carrying case and protective hood through ready conversion from one configuration to the other. The flexible panels and sides together with the location and extent of the opening establish a simple, convertible structure.

It is understood that the above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is presented by way of example only and is not intended to limit the invention. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of intact such that the panels and the intersectingintact 1 third and fourth sides will establish the crown, of the hood when said opening is open; and

closure means for selectively maintaining said opening closed. g

'41 2. A combination carrying case and protective hood for the person comprising:

a body including opposed-panels of relatively flexible material, said panels having opposed longitudinal edges and opposed lateral edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges, opposed-longitudinal sides, interconnecting the panels along the longitudinal edges,

and opposed lateral sides interconnecting the panels along the lateral edges. and interconnecting .the longitudinal sides;

an opening extending continously completely along one longitudinal side, along a portion of the opposite longitudinal side from an interconnecting lateral side for approximately one-third :the distance between the opposed lateral sides and completely along the interconnecting lateral side, thereby leaving, the opposite lateral side and the remainder of said opposite longitudinal side intact, such that the panels, and the intersecting intact sides will establish the crown of the hood when the opening is open;and

closure means for selectively maintaining said opening closed. 7 V

3. The combinationof claim 2 wherein the intact sides intersect ata peak in the hood and said opening extends continuously from a first-pointadjacentv the intersection of said one longitudinal side; with said opposite lateral side and terminates at a second point in said opposite longitudinal side displaced from the, interconnecting lateral side approximately one-third the distance between the opposed lateral sides, such that the portions of the panels beyond said second point toward said peak will establish the crown portion of the protective hood and the portions 7 of the panels extending beyond said second point away. 7 from said peak will establish skirt portions in the, hood when the opening is open.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said closure means comprises a slide fastener extending from said first point to said second point. 5. A combination carrying case and protective hood for the person comprising: I

a body having an exterior'and an interior and including opposedpanels of relatively flexible' material, said panels having-opposed longitudinal edges and opposed lateral edges interconnecting said longitudinal edges, opposed longitudinal sides interconnecting the panels along the longitudinal edges and opposed lateral sides interconnecting the panels, along the laeral edges and interconnecting the. longitudinal s1 es; 7 an opening extending continuouslyalong one longitudinal side,. a portion of the opposite longitudinal side-and an interconnecting lateral side, thereby leaving the'opposite lateral side. and the remainder of said opposite longitudinal side intact such that. the panels and the intersecting intact sides will establish the crown of the hood when the opening is open;

closure'meansfor selectively maintaining said opening closed; and

securing meansfixed to the interior of said body along the panels for cooperating with portions of the head of saidpersonto maintain the hood in place there,-

over. a 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the intact sides intersect at a peak in the hood and said opening extends,

continuously from a first point adjacent the intersection of said one, longitudinal side with said opposite'lateral said second point away from said peak will establish skirt crown portion ofthe protective hood for placement on said head and the portions of the panelsvextendingbeyond said second point away from said peak will establish skirt portions in the hood for resting. on the shoulders of said person whenthe opening is open.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said securing means comprises a strap fixed along the interior of each panel, each strap being located such that said straps may be joined to pass across the chin of said person.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said securing means comprises a flap of flexible material fixed along the interior of each panel, said flaps being capable of attachment to one another and having a contour for covering the area extending from beneath the chin of said person to the shoulders of said person.

9. The combination of claim 6 wherein said securing means comprises a draw-string assembly fixed along the interior of each panel, each said assembly including a string located such that said strings may be passed beneath the chin of said person.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,820,282 8/1931 McGuire. 2,160,364 5/1939 Kannor 19041 2,180,191 11/1939 Bauch 190-41 2,694,812 11/ 1954 Neuburger 2-209.1 2,767,758 10/1956 Haynes 19041 2,979,170 4/1961 Lotz 190-1 X JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N00 3, 275, 106 I September 27, 1966 Ralph A. Rush It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 70, for "away from said peak will establish skirt" read toward said peak will establish the --o Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

5. A COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND PROTECTIVE HOOD FOR THE PERSON COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING AN EXTERIOR AND AN INTERIOR AND INCLUDING OPPOSED PANELS OF RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, SAID PANEL HAVING OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL EDGES AND OPPOSED LATERAL EDGES INTERCONNECTING SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES, OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL SIDES INTERCONNECTING THE PANELS ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES AND OPPOSED LATERAL SIDES INTERCONNECTING THE PANELS ALONG THE LATERAL EDGES AND INTERCONNECTING THE LONGITUDINAL SIDES; AN OPENING EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY ALONG ONE LONGITUDINAL SIDE, A PORTION OF THE OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL SIDE AND AN INTERCONNECTING LATERAL SIDE, THEREBY LEAV- 